ERCC2: cDNA cloning and molecular characterization of a human nucleotide excision repair gene with high homology to yeast RAD3

• Published in: The EMBO journal Vol. 9; no. 5; pp. 1437 - 1447
• Main Authors: Weber, C.A., Salazar, E.P., Stewart, S.A., Thompson, L.H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group 01.05.1990
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Survival - genetics; Cloning, Molecular; DNA repair; DNA Repair - genetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Library; Genes, Fungal - genetics; Genes. Genome; Genetic Complementation Test; Humans; Introns - genetics; man; Molecular and cellular biology; Molecular genetics; Molecular Sequence Data; Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; Restriction Mapping; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - genetics; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; Transcription, Genetic - genetics; Transformation, Genetic; Ultraviolet Rays; Human; Yeast; Nucleotide sequence; Gene product; Transcription promoter; Homology; Biological activity; Complementary DNA; DNA; Complementation; Molecular cloning; Southern blotting; Repair; Aminoacid sequence; Unwinding enzyme
• ISSN: 0261-4189; 1460-2075
• DOI: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1990.tb08260.x

Human ERCC2 genomic clones give efficient, stable correction of the nucleotide excision repair defect in UV5 Chinese hamster ovary cells. One clone having a breakpoint just 5′ of classical promoter elements corrects only transiently, implicating further flanking sequences in stable gene expression. The nucleotide sequences of a cDNA clone and genomic flanking regions were determined. The ERCC2 translated amino acid sequence has 52% identity (73% homology) with the yeast nucleotide excision repair protein RAD3. RAD3 is essential for cell viability and encodes a protein that is a single‐stranded DNA dependent ATPase and an ATP dependent helicase. The similarity of ERCC2 and RAD3 suggests a role for ERCC2 in both cell viability and DNA repair and provides the first insight into the biochemical function of a mammalian nucleotide excision repair gene.